Miciyo Yamada from Japan, Lina Smith from the United States and Robert Harris from Australia will lead this year's panel.
The New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC) has announced the appointments of the three panel leaders for the fifth edition of the world’s largest and most prestigious olive oil competition.
Unlike other competitions where there is one panel leader, or head judge, the NYIOOC each year appoints three judges from different countries to lead the international team of experts that make up the elite judging panel.
The panel leaders for the 2017 NYIOOC are Miciyo Yamada from Japan, Lina Smith from the United States and Robert Harris from Australia.
Top experts in their fields who exemplify the excellence of the NYIOOC panel.- Curtis Cord, NYIOOC President
NYIOOC president Curtis Cord called the three panel leaders “top experts in their fields who exemplify the excellence of the NYIOOC panel — the leading olive oil tasters in the world.”
The 2017 #NYIOOC Panel Leaders: Miciyo Yamada (Japan), Lina Smith (USA), and Robert Harris (Australia) #toptasters#NYIOOC2017pic.twitter.com/5LPSif3ZvV
— NYIOOC (@nyiooc) March 8, 2017
Lina Smith is a Boston-based olive oil educator and consultant. She began her career as a chemical engineer, then seeking a way to incorporate her love of the Mediterranean into daily life, pursued a Master of Arts degree in Italian at Middllebury College in Florence. In Tuscany, she wrote her Master’s thesis on olive oil and learned to taste professionally under the late visionary, Marco Mugelli.
Smith leads educational events in Boston and has taught for Slow Food, Harvard Food Literacy Project and CCAE in Cambridge. She is the founder of the Boston Olive Oil Club, an educational organization that teaches the public to understand and recognize quality olive oil.
Robert Harris is an Australian expert in the sensory evaluation of olive oils and a frequent judge in regional and international competitions including the Australian Olive Association National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Shows and the Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards.
The panel leaders are among the fifteen distinguished experts who will evaluate over 800 olive oils from 27 countries next month, ultimately determining the best olive oils in the world for 2017.
The winning olive oils are coveted by chefs, food buyers and discerning consumers who value extra virgin olive oils of the highest quality. The results are presented on the website bestoliveoils.org and syndicated worldwide.
The New York International Olive Oil Competition is produced by Olive Oil Times, an independent publication unaffiliated with any olive oil brand.
More articles on: NYIOOC World, NYIOOC World 2017, olive oil competitions
Oct. 17, 2023
Award-Winning Chilean Producer Eyes Lucrative Brazilian Market
Las Doscientos capitalizes on its reputation for quality and free trade advantage to expand its market share in Brazil.
Oct. 23, 2023
Australians Overcome Cold, Wet Harvest to Win in New York
Producers in Australia earned fifteen awards at the 2023 NYIOOC after a chilly, damp harvest reduced their yield.
Aug. 2, 2023
Education Vital to Success of Turkey’s Olive Oil Sector, Award-Winning Producer Says
After winning 10 awards at the 2023 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the producers behind Oliva Malia are keen to share the secrets of their success.
Dec. 5, 2023
Hard Work Yields World-Class Quality in Brazil
Estância das Oliveiras earned seven Gold Awards at the 2023 NYIOOC, the most in a single year for any Brazilian producer.
Jun. 27, 2023
How Awards Helped One Tunisian Producer Thrive in the Lucrative U.S. Market
The NYIOOC award-winning producer behind Massiva combines generations of olive oil production experience with adept marketing.
Jan. 29, 2024
Verde Louro Among Brazil's New Generation of Outstanding Producers
In Rio Grande do Sul, the young producer overcame climate extremes to win four awards at the World Olive Oil Competition.
May. 11, 2023
Kalinjot Monovarietal Places Albanian Olive Oil on World Stage
Andrew Strong hopes the Gold Award at the NYIOOC for an organic endemic monovarietal will catch the world’s attention.
Jul. 11, 2023
Ever Higher Quality Rewarded at Eighth EVO IOOC Italy in Calabria
Producers from Italy and Brazil received the highest honors at the eight EVO IOOC Italy. Judges agreed that the quality is improving.